Reconcile (Doctor Who X Tenth Doctor)

Chapter 3: The Skasis Paradigm

            The Doctor and Katie didn't sleep that night. Physically, they didn't need it, but their companions certainly did. Once they were asleep, Katie slipped back into her room to grab her old sonic screwdriver. Alongside that, she grabbed a small toolbox.

The Doctor looked up just in time to catch the tube shaped device that was flung directly towards his face. He grinned at the familiar device, "Oh! I'd almost forgot about your sonic. It's always been so sleek."

It was simplistic. A long golden tube with a green tip. There were no buttons or switches on her sonic, instead it was activated psychically. She found this useful for when it fell into the wrong hands. Most people couldn't figure out how to use it.

The Doctor went to activate it, but he frowned when he realized the device had broken."Ooo, what's this about now? Why haven't you fixed it?"

"Haven't needed it," Katie shrugged as she sunk down onto the couch next to him. She set the toolbox on the coffee table in front of them and flipped it open. "I've been stuck on Earth for the last two and a half centuries and only just reached the twenty-first. There wasn't anything to use it on. Human computers are so simple."

"Then why fix it?" The Doctor grabbed both ends of the device and pulled, successfully opening it like a Christmas cracker.

Katie licked her lips before she spoke. "Did you not want me to go with you?"

The Doctor glanced away from the device and stared at her, not wanting to answer.

Katie took a deep breath before continuing. "Doctor, I'll never be completely safe. It doesn't matter if I'm with or without you. At some point something will notice me. Hell, some people already have. I can only change my name while I'm stuck on this planet with this stupid little apes."

The Doctor didn't answer. Instead, he turned his gaze back to the sonic screwdriver in his hands. He reached into is inner coat pocket and pulled out his own sonic screwdriver. He pointed it at Katie's device and scanned it for diagnostics. Katie looked down at the ground. She went to speak again but thought better and stood back up while sighing. "I'll see you in the morning."

***

The Time Lords and their companions reentered the school at eleven a.m. the next day. Katie lead them through the front doors and began spouting directions. "Rose and Sarah, you go to the Maths room. Crack open those computers, I need to see the hardware inside. Here, you might need this," Katie handed her sonic to Rose. "Mickey, surveillance. I want you outside.

Mickey groaned. "Just stand outside?"

"Here, take these you can keep K9 company." Sarah tossed her car keys to Rose's boyfriend.

Katie and the Doctor began walking in the opposite direction of the human women. The Doctor called after Mickey. "Don't forget to leave the window open a crack."

"But he's metal!"

"He didn't mean for him," Katie laughed.

Rose walked slowly backwards as she looked at the Doctor. "What're you going to do?"

"It's time we had a word with Mister Finch," The Doctor's voice was dark. He and Katie exchanged similar expressions, nodding before jogging towards the athletics department.

***

Katie and the Doctor stood at the end of the pool staring in the water. Katie had changed into a new dress of the same vintage style. This one was black with small white polka dots. The Doctor stood next to her in the same outfit as yesterday. His hands were in the pockets of his trousers and his arms were holding his trench coat back.